Wringer



May 28, 1940. w. L... KAUFFMAN, 2o

WRIIIGER Filfld March 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

1940- w. L KAUFFMAN, 2D

WRIIIGBR Filld larch 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Eva-F] ATTORNEYS! Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT or-rlcs WRINGER Application March 17,

Claims.

Power wringers are commonly provided with some safety means for releasing the pressure on the rolls so that should the operators han'd be caught within the rolls the release of pressure would prevent continued injury to the operator. This release of pressure is ordinarily accompanied by a violent movement of the released parts under the very heavy pressure of the pressure spring of the wringer. The present invention is designed to reduce the violence of this releasing movement. Features and details of the invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wringer partly in section and with the parts in set position.

Fig. 2 a similar view with the parts in released position.

Fig. 3 an end view of the upper portion of the wringer.

Fig. 4 an elevation of the bottom portion of the wringer showing a modified structure.

Fig. 5 an elevation partly in section showing a further modification, the parts being in set position.

Fig. 6 a view of a portion of the wringer shown in Fig. 5 with the parts in released position.

Fig. 7 a section on the line '|-1 in Fig. 5.

In all the modifications l marks a wringer base, 2 and 3 side stiles, l a lower roll, said roll lower shaft 5, these bearings being fixed relatively to the stile. Bearings 9 for the shaft 1 are slidingly mounted in the stiles. A spring Ill operates on the upper bearings 9 for exerting pressure on the rolls. This spring is adjusted by a screw ll operating in a top bar l2. The top bar is detachably secured on the stile 2 by interlocking shoulders l3 and I struck up in the end of the top bar and the side of the stile respectively. At the opposite or release end of the top bar a toggle lever is provided which aflords means for both releasing and resetting the top bar. A link ii of the toggle lever is channel formed (see Fig. 7) and is pivoted on the top bar by means of a pin or bolt IS. The companion link I! of the toggle lever is made up of side plates connected by bridge plate ID. The link 18 is pivotally connected with the link l5 by rod or pin I9 and with the stile 3-by a rod or pin 20. The pivots 20, I9 and it are slightly out of alignment as indicated in Fig. 1 when the toggle lever is forced down to 1937, Serial No. 131,340

set position. Thus the pressure on the linkage itself holds it in set or stable relation in this position. In order to release the toggle lever it is only necessary to force the link l5 outwardly sufficiently to carry the pivots past the center or neutral point to break the toggle and this releases the top bar.

An operating bar 2| has lever arms 2Ia at its ends and these arms have pivotal extensions 22 which extend through slots 23 in the top bar. The link i5 is provided with projections 24 which extend under the arms 2; at each end of the operating bar 21. This elevates the operating bar slightly when the toggle lever is in set position, and a downward thrust on the bar 2| forces downwardly the arm 2la and this acting on the projection 24 moves the link l5 breaking the toggle. The interlocking shoulders l3 and I 4 are formed to disengage as the top is lifted so as to increase the opening between the rolls. So far the mechanism described is not a specific subject of this invention.

When a release is accomplished the toggle lever, unless restrained, throws out with great violence and the top bar moves upwardly with violence. In the present invention this is cushioned.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a vacuum tube 25 is mounted in the base and a piston 26 is slidingly fitted into this tube, the end of the tube being closed, forming a vacuum chamber 25a. A rod 21 extends from the piston 26 and is connected by cord 28 with the link IS. The cord passes through an eyelet 29 in the stile 3 and is provided at its end with a securing ferrule 30 which is secured to the link by screw 30a. Attenuation of the air in the chamber 25a is very slight for the initial movement so that the resistance to a release movement of the link l5 past the neutral point is not great. As a vacuum is created in the chamber this resistance becomes quite pronounced and prevents the violent movement of the parts but does not prevent an accomplishment of a full release movement. In this way the movement of the parts is retarded by the resistance acceleratively imposed through the movement of the piston. A shoulder 3| is fixed on the pin 21 and a spring 32 is arranged in the tube around the cord and exerts pressure on the shoulder 3| thus forcing the piston 26 back to its initial position when the toggle levers are reset. In order that the piston may move more readily to its return movement a valve 33 is provided which covers openings 26 in the piston. The valve 33 is yieldingly held to its seat by a spring 35 seated on the valve and shoulder 3|. As the spring 32 forces the return, the valve 33 opens, thus permitting the escape of any air that may have leaked into the chamber 25a.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 a cord is fastened to the link IS in the same manner as in Fig. 1 and the wringer parts as before stated are similar to those in Fig. 1. The cord 36 here, however, has a loop 31 around apin 38 and is connected with a spring 39. The loop 31 snubs the withdrawal of the cord and thus prevents the violent movement of the parts on release the snubbing action being greatest with the greatest acceleration of the release lever.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the parts are similar to those shown in Fig. 4 except that the cord 36 is carried around a pulley 40 and terminates in a fastening clip 4| which is secured to the top bar by screw 42. Here the retarding movement is accomplished by a direct pull on the top bar as distinguished from effecting this result as in Fig. 4 indirectly by pull on the links.

In each of the structures the violence of the throw of the parts when released is reduced thus preventing any injury to the operator from such action.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means having parts exerting pressure on the rolls; a safety release device releasing the pressure on the pressure means; means exerting acceleratively imposed resistance yieldingly retarding the released movement of the parts.

2. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls; a safety release device comprising a lever mechanism releasing the pressure means; means exerting acceleratively imposed resistance yieldingly retarding the movement of the lever.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising a base and side stiles; a detachable top bar on the side stiles; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; a release device for releasing the top bar for releasing pressure on the pressure means; means exerting acceleratively imposed resistance through the releasing means to a release movement of the top bar.

4. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising a base and side stiles; a detachable top bar on the side stiles; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; a release device for releasing the top bar comprising a resetting lever, said release device releasing the top bar for releasing the pressure means; means exerting acceleratively imposed resistance on the lever retarding the released movement of the lever.

5. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising a base and side stiles; a detachable top on the side stiles; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; a release device for releasing the top bar comprising a resetting lever connected with the top bar and acting with the top bar to reset the pressure on the rolls, said release device releasing the top bar for releasing the pressure means; means exerting acceleratively imposed resistance yieldingly retarding a release movement of the connected lever and top bar.

6. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means having parts releasably connected to the frame and exerting pressure on the rolls; a safety release device releasing said parts to release the pressure on the rolls; and a retarding, device retarding the throw of the parts released comprising a fluid cushion device.

7. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising a base and side stiles; a detachable top bar on the stiles; wringer rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means having parts releasably connected to the frame and exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; a release device for releasing said parts to release the top bar; and a retarding device comprising a fluid cushion device mounted in the base and extending lengthwise thereof and connected with the top bar to retard the throw of the top bar when released.

8. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising a base and side stiles; a detachable top bar on the stiles; wringer rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the top bar; a release device for releasing the top bar; and a retarding device comprising a sealed cylinder having fluid therein, a piston in the cylinder, means permitting a movement of 'air to and from a part of the cylinder containing fluid acting on the piston, and a connection between the piston and the top bar for retarding the throw of the top bar when released.

9. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means comprising parts exerting pressure on the rolls; a safety release device releasing the pressure on the pressure means; means exerting yielding counter-pressure on the released parts slowing their release movement comprising friction surfaces and friction means leading from the surfaces to the released parts.

10. In a wringer, the combination of a. frame: rolls mounted in the frame; pressure means comprising parts exerting pressure on the rolls; a safety release device releasing the pressure on the pressure means; and a retarding device retarding the throw of the parts released, said retarding device comprising a flexible member connected with the parts released and having a snubbing loop and a snubbing surface over which the loop moves.

WALTER L. KAUFFMAN, II. 

